Top 20 states most likely to hit a deer

top 20 states most likely to hit a deer

Ohio Ranks in Top 20 of States Where Drivers are Most Likely to Hit a Deer

CLEVELAND, OH – Ohio ranks in the top 20 of states where drivers are most likely to hit a deer, according to new data from insurance provider State Farm. And, a growing number of drivers will find a deer in their headlights this fall. Wrecks involving large animals have increased across a majority of the country, according to the data.

Deer collisions are becoming more likely in Ohio. Last year, the chances of an accident with a deer were 1 in 131, the 20th highest odds in the nation. This year, the chances of a collision have jumped to 1 in 126, moving the Buckeye State into the 19th position.

Those accidents cost a lot of money, and that’s likely the reason insurance companies blitz the airwaves with warnings about deer strikes this time of year. The likelihood of colliding with a large animal more than doubles during the months of October, November and December, according to Chris Mullen, State Farm’s director of technology research. The increased risk from October through December is primarily due to peak deer mating season, which starts this month.

“Drivers should be engaged, alert and on the lookout at all times, because you never know when you may need to react to a deer or any other obstacle that may suddenly be in your path,” Mullen said in a statement.

An estimated one in every 164 U.S. drivers filed a claim after striking a deer, elk or moose between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016 — an increase of 3 percent over the previous 12-month period. According to State Farm, the national average cost per claim for 2015-16 was $3,995, down just slightly from $4,135.

These wrecks can sometime prove fatal for drivers and passengers in the vehicle as well. Ohio’s five counties with the highest number of reported deer crashes in 2014 were Stark (512), Richland (510), Lorain (510), Hamilton (433) and Clermont (482). Compared to their 2013 figures, Lorain and Clermont counties showed increases while the other three reported decreases in 2014, according to the Ohio Insurance Institute.

West Virginia led the nation in deer strikes, again, with an average of one claim for every 41 drivers. Hawaii doesn’t see many big-animal strikes, with only one in every 18,955 drivers hitting a deer.

Only 11 states saw a decrease in deer strikes, according to State Farm’s numbers. The biggest increase for the 2015-16 period: Washington, D.C. saw deer strikes jump 50 percent.

Here’s the state rankings for where you’re more likely to find a large animal in your headlights this season:

top 20 states most likely to hit a deer
Ohio Ranks in Top 20 of States Where Drivers are Most Likely to Hit a Deer
CLEVELAND, OH - Ohio ranks in the top 20 of states where drivers are most likely to hit a deer, according to new data from insurance...